Happy 2025 to all of you! We wish you happy days and of course, happy travels for the new year. For the first time in our lives, we’re one of the first in the world to experience the new year thanks to our geographical position from Down Under. Yes, in case you missed it, we’re in Melbourne, Australia this year reflecting on a lovely 2024 rambling around East and Southeast Asia. This was the trip we were supposed to complete during 2020 before COVID happened. 

2024 was quite a year for us. We got to see and do many things on our “60 by 60 Lists,” including: see an orangutan in the wild, attend a silent meditation retreat, get a full medical evaluation in SE Asia, see the snow monkeys in Japan, eat a Michelin restaurant, bike in the Vietnam countryside and take a river cruise on the Mekong. 

Over the course of the year, we visited 10 countries on three different continents: US, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand and Australia. Seven of these ten were new countries for us, bringing Greg’s country count to 82 and Mandy’s to 76. As you will see, the number of upsides to spending a year in (mostly) SE Asia is notable, which means we’re hoping to return to this part of the world every third year or so: 

The Upsides

• The affordability; it was very easy to stick to our budget other than Japan and Taiwan, which we had to work much harder at
• The food, mostly renowned to be delicious and cheap. Highlights were Thailand and Laos.
• Cheap flights to move from place to place. We flew Air Asia multiple times and never had our bags weighed so the 7 kg. maximum never ended up being an issue. 
• Overall, SE Asia lives at a peaceful and quiet decibel, particularly when compared to our year in Latin America last year. Obviously this doesn’t include certain cities. 
• The access to learning about different cultures and meeting new people was quite easy and available for the most part; people are friendly and welcoming almost everywhere.
• The stay limit in every country we went to was at least 60 days, making slow travel desirable
• SE Asia has deep ruts into the tourist trail, so infrastructure was typically quite manageable and easy. 
• We encountered abundant nature in forests, beaches, mountains, volcanoes, and waterfalls
• The availability and ease of renting a motorbike
• Mostly fast internet 
• Easy to get around by public transport or Grab taxi-type apps
• The region is generally quite safe with very little crime
• For the most part, we had amazing access to fresh fruits and vegetables
• Thanks to careful planning, we were blessed with sunshine for the majority of the year, although of course we had some hot periods.
• Abundant vegetarian options available almost everywhere

The Downsides:

• Lack of apartments in places we wanted to stay, particularly those away from big cities. Or, if there were apartments, they were out of our price range 
• Lack of available housesits, or the inability to book ones that fit our schedule
• Many countries this year required visas, which incurred additional costs. Those include Vietnam, Indonesia, Laos and Australia. Indonesia was by far the most cumbersome and expensive ($132 for both of us for 60 days).
• Lack of inexpensive alcohol, other than the notoriously cheap beervana of Vietnam.
• Mosquitos, ants, bees and other crawlies
• Because SE Asia is well on the tourist trail, and we often hit countries during their high or shoulder seasons, we often had to consciously steer ourselves away from crowds.
• Well-stocked grocery stores could be very hit or miss 
• Walkability is generally poor in this part of the world

Some Budget Statistics for our Numbers Nerds:

• On the budget front, we spent a total of $17,054 or an average of $46.60/day. This is $1196 UNDER our annual $18,250 budget (which breaks down to $50/day). These is everything we needed to travel including flights, accommodations, food, visas, and daily living expenses. It does not include medical, which we have a separate pot for.
• The biggest money savers this year came from benefits through our Capital One Venture X card and Chase Sapphire Preferred, as well as Trusted Housesitters
• Our most expensive month this year February at $1780.82 ($61.41/day), which unsurprisingly included the three weeks we spent in Japan and Taiwan. 
• Our least expensive month this year was January at $824.96, when we stayed with our gracious family and friends in the States. 
• Our daily average for each country, (excluding US) from most expensive to least: Japan ($74.84), Taiwan ($72.53), Malaysia Borneo ($58.79), Indonesia ($53.24), Vietnam ($46.87), Thailand ($46.72), Laos ($44.36), Australia ($33.93), Malaysia ($30.14), and Singapore ($26.91). We had house sits in Australia, Malaysia and Singapore, which significantly impacted these numbers due to no accommodation costs. For a complete wrap-up on how we saved money in each destination, please visit our country wrap pages in our archives
• Flights: We flew 14 times in 2024, which is kind of environmentally embarrassing, but many are necessities because of islands, or simply a matter of being cost effective. On these 14 flights, we spent $482.81 in cash, and eight of them were free due to credit card points. We realize that credit card points are not entirely “free” so in the future we want to be better about tracking the point value spent for each flight. As an example, we just spent 31,000 points or equivalent to $310 on our Bangkok to Melbourne flight.
• Other transportation: besides flights, we spent $2357 on local transportation on buses, trains, boats, motorbikes or taxis.
• Accommodations: We had 257 days of paid accommodation this year totaling $6049, and 109 days of unpaid accommodations. Unpaid accommodations included staying with friends/family, couch surfing, housesitting, hotels using credit card or Hopper points, and a monastery.
• Groceries: $3029 on groceries
• Restaurants: $3180 on eating out
• General: $1956 on general expenses, which includes things like sightseeing, visas, laundry, toiletries, tipping/charity, and other miscellaneous items.
• Our other buckets include medical, on which we spent $3402 in our medical fund in 2024, mostly due to our complete health check-ups in Malaysia and other things we’d been putting off, and $586 in our splurge bucket bringing our grand total of expenses to $21,042

Wow! Yes, it’s been quite a year. So without further adieu, we give you the 7th Annual Geney Awards

Best Cultural Experience

The City of Tokyo, Japan

Although we’re not usually big city people, we truly believe Tokyo…the biggest metropolis on the planet at 37 million people…should be on every traveler’s list. This fascinating, futuristic, and other world is a thrill for the senses in every possible way, with an abundance of new and edgy experiences you cannot get anywhere else in the world. The culture shock is mind-blowing everywhere you turn from the way people dress, the silence of the city, the quirky architecture, bizarre rules & regulations, fruit prices, animé icons, cafes to cuddle pigs and hedgehogs, sex shops, toilets, capsule hotels, vending machines, crosswalks, department stores, the unique way food is served, karaoke ferris wheels and the list goes on and on. Read more.

Honorable Mention: Batik Painting in Yogjakarta, Java Indonesia

As Mandy journeyed to the age of 44, she wanted to celebrate by doing something artsy, which is not something we get the opportunity to do often. So, we visited sweet Nunung and her family to take part in a traditional batik fabric painting workshop. Since the 13th Century, Batik has been an ancient form made with a wax resistant technique. In other words, the fabric is dipped in wax and then dyed. The lengthy 5.5 hour cultural experience also included a traditional homemade meal with a birthday bonus, as well as a tour of their village. We couldn’t recommend it more. Read more.

Most Picture Perfect Village (or Town)

Luang Prabang, Laos

Thanks to its cultural heritage, distinct spiritual vibe, culinary wonders and rich French colonial architecture, the UNESCO World Heritage jewel of Luang Prabang is a town that oozes culture, history, class, and charm at every turn. It is the undisputed cultural icon of Laos and a big part of that distinction is the architecture, which combines traditional Laotian design, as well as French colonial influences from the 19th and 20th Centuries. Everywhere you walk, you feel like you’ve stepped into some version of Europe blended with role models from other places and times. Therefore, it’s easy to understand why it has become an undeniable hit along the Southeast Asian traveler trail. However, in the week we stayed, we discovered the mass tourism rhythms and were mostly able to avoid them by avoiding the tourist attractions, especially on the weekends. This is just fine because this picturesque darling is best savored and adored for its vibe anyhow.

Honorable Mention: Jioufen, Taiwan

Jioufen is hardly an off-the-beaten-path destination while touring Taiwan, but with its proximity to Taipei, ample hiking opportunities, its promise of old world charm and the coincidental location of it during a significant Taiwanese event made it an obvious choice for us. This seductively ramshackled village dotted with crimson lanterns, meandering alleyways and loads of sights and scents is a small mining town mostly built by the Japanese during the gold rush period which began when it was “discovered” in 1890. (It had actually been turning up since the 15th Century.) Unlike mining towns in the Americas, it didn’t seem to offer cheesy gold paning programs, mine tours, or really good comfort food, at least not by our definition. Read more.

Most Unique Stay

Shibu Onsen Kadoya Ryokan, Yamanouchi, Nagano, Japan

On our visit to see the hot springs snow monkeys, we landed at this adorable ryokan by a complete stroke of serendipity thanks to an our first Hopper App FAIL. Ryokans were set up in the Edo period (1603-1868) for lords and samurai warriors on the road. After a long day of travelling, the honored guests would bathe, enjoy a tea ceremony and have a long meal, washed down with plenty of sake. 

The place we had originally booked did not have our reservation, costing us a lot of frustration and an unexpected $55, atop the $17 we’d already paid, which eventually led to some endearing Japanese costuming and a private onsen (thermal bath) with a natural cave feature to unwind in. Our room had traditional tatami mats on the floor, rice paper room dividers, floor futons and duvets and little floor chairs parked under a table with an obligatory tea kettle on top, as well as a fridge. Read more.

Honorable Mention: Wat Tam Wua Monastery, Mae Hong Son, Thailand

If you’re looking for true slow…make that meaningful and mindful…travel, consider an extended stay at a Buddhist monastery for a genuinely profound experience. A silent meditation retreat is an item both of us had on our “60 by 60 Lists” which we managed to check off recently at Wat Pa Tam Wua about 1.5 hours west of Pai in Northern Thailand. Of course, when we signed up we didn’t realize this rule of silence is not really a Buddhist practice, but is generally favored by Westerners due to their ideas being influenced by their knowledge or practices of other religions. For that reason we ultimately decided to forgo the silent element and simply immerse ourselves in the rigid structure and lifestyle that comes from living three nights at a monastery. Three nights, where time slows so much, that it felt like three weeks.

This experience is not a cakewalk, nor a relaxing yoga or spa retreat. Depending on your mental state, it can be introspective… it can be liberating… it can be raw…it can be painful…and it can utterly bring you to the present moment if you let it. After all, whenever you are able to observe your mind, you are no longer trapped in it. And it was an idyllic place to do just this.

Most Outstanding Accommodation

(Mostly) Private Villa in Senggigi, Lombok, Indonesia

Arriving to our villa in Lombok, we were in for quite a surprise. We had booked it for three weeks thinking we’d be sharing the space with the owners, but were soon informed they were in Egypt and said to enjoy their property without them. This was a little unfortunate because they seem like really cool people. That said, for $21/night we ended up with quite a score…basically a private villa, complete with use of their full kitchen and living room, and a housekeeper who served us a delicious breakfast every morning, a gardener, pool boy and security man, “Joe,” whose whole night shift responsibilities seems to be turning the outdoor lights on. We did have to share the property for several nights with people renting the other room, but it was still undoubtedly an amazing value. If you’re interested in booking this place, click here for the Airbnb listing and message the owners with the coupon code “Mandy&Greg924” to get a 10% off discount.

Honorable Mention: The Royal Surakarta Heritage Hotel, Surakarta, Java, Indonesia

While in Surakarta, aka Solo, we went $2.82 over our daily budget and…at the same time, stayed in our first FIVE-star hotel. There was no travel hacking, free stays, or craftiness involved. $29 is simply what it cost with our Agoda “VIP Platinum” status (which anyone can get simply by using the app regularly). Needless to say, even for us, life can be very bougie while traveling in cheaper destinations. So what happens when you put two frugalistas like us on a red carpet for a night?!

The Royal Surakarta Heritage Hotel is thankfully not an obvious big box or chain hotel, although it is part of the “Accor Line”…so maybe it is? What do we know? This lavish hotel combines modern luxury with elegant Javanese decor as soon as you pull into the entrance. This is where we were immediately out of our element as soon as a bellhop scurried over to our Grab speaking rapid…English. In fact, Mandy kind of froze, saying no thank you, resulting in a confused look as he ended up carrying Greg’s backpack. Read more.

Best Color Pop

Kampung Tridi and Kampung Jodipan, Malang, Java, Indonesia

We’ve stumbled across a lot of vibrant places, but roaming into the villages of Kampung Tridi and Jodipan just might bear the punchiest palate of them all. But the real icing on this striking cake? It’s a true success story of revitalization in a once depressed, deteriorating and polluted environment, making it an absolute must see during any visit to Java. Read more.

Honorable Mention: Hoi An, Vietnam 

The UNESCO world heritage site of Hoi An Ancient Town is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century. Because of this rich imperial heritage and the lack of many similar preserved sites elsewhere in the country, it’s one of Vietnam’s premier tourist attractions and through the years, multiple people have adamantly exclaimed to us that “we’ll love it and we have to go!” This hoopla also meant it had a lot to live up to. So, did it make us swoon too? Read more.

Best Unpaid Accommodation

July Housesit, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

For the month of July, we had the pleasure of housesitting two adorable cats, Vinnie and Juara, which was our first consecutive month in one place since Buenos Aires eleven months prior. And this housesit couldn’t have been more ideal, thanks to a large comfortable home (with all the streaming services!), a completely desolate swimming pool and gym, a jacuzzi, an American-sized kitchen with accompanying appliances, and two adorable kitties. This time allowed us a month of recuperating, productivity, planning, and medical appointments, including our first comprehensive medical evaluations…something we’d recommend to anyone. Read more.

Honorable Mention: Couchsurfing with Riki in Shibuya, Tokyo 

At the end of a packed day exploring the bustling neighborhood of Shibuya, we stayed with new Couchsurfing friends, twenty-something’s Riki and his girlfriend, Aina who graciously opened their super tiny apartment and allowed us to stay on their living room floor. It was not easy to get couchsurfs in Tokyo, although we put in at least ten requests. So happy these two said yes, however, because they were really interesting and sweet.

We talked for hours about travel, and Japanese and American customs. As are most people, they were astounded by our gun laws. They also answered our questions on bowing, (because it often felt like a “you go, now I go” competition to us,) and societal norms in Japan. They were also very surprised to know that the Japanese concept of “Ikigai” was trending in the US because this “reason to live” philosophy is not actually something that they grew up learning about, although we have certainly noticed work pride being prevalent in Japanese society. We’ve never seen anyone sweep the stairs, stock shelves, serve food, or fold the toilet paper roll with such precision and care like they do in Japan. Read more.

Most Captivating City

Hanoi, Vietnam

Most people know we’re not city people, but Hanoi has utterly captivated us with its photogenic allure at every turn, its striking architecture, its bargain shopping, its green and flower embellished canopy, its mouthwatering selection of food, its easy-to-use local buses, and its overall energy, which is far more relaxed and charming than its sister Vietnamese city of Ho Chi Minh. In fact, it’s a city we see coming to again, for a much longer time than 12 days. It owes much of its charm, which is now often crumbling, to the French colonials who undertook a major construction in Hanoi to turn it into the capital of all Indochina. But its energy and vibe belong to its lively and hardworking people. What a spectacular destination! Read more.

Honorable Mention: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

We didn’t roll into Australia until the tail end of the year, or we may have more winners from this country. However, from the small amount we had already seen, Melbourne is undeniably captivating. We immediately felt very settled and at home in our lovely Glen Iris neighborhood housesit, which is in a leafy green area strung together by natural reserves and walking/biking trails and loaded with bird life like we’ve never experienced. The neighborhoods, parks, wine/brewery scene and street art definitely have an aura of the US, but a hipper side, more like Portland.

Best Hospitality

Kuching, Borneo, Malaysia

When we once envisioned Borneo, our minds went to rugged jungle, wild animals, and all too many man-made palm oil plantations. It has those things. But we also learned, it has absolutely unique and delicious food, delightful cities and without a doubt, the warmest and friendliest people we’ve encountered in this corner of the globe so far…. all for an affordable price. Everyone always seemed so excited to meet and chat with us, and they even went to the point of buying us things and inviting us for dinner. Truly, it’s been awhile since we felt this welcomed by a whole population! Read more.

Honorable Mention: Malang, Java, Indonesia

As is typical, the places with Muslim populations seemed to exceed expectations in this category and walking through neighborhoods in Malang always came with some excitement. It didn’t take long before we had a whole parade of curious kids stalking us after grabbing mom’s phone for some photo opps with the Americans. Of course, if you look closely not all the kids were as sweet as the others. Another example of such people, Karman & Ugeng, who were our hosts at Navila Guesthouse. Karman also served as our driver to Tumpak Sewu waterfalls. They have been running the guesthouse for six years and had three children. Read more.

Most Epic Scenery

Nong Khiaw, Laos

Ringed with ravishing jagged mountains and hill tribes, Nong Khiaw (rhymes with meow) is known to be a nature lover’s paradise packed with trekking and kayaking opportunities, as well as some of the most beautiful scenery in all of Laos. And, although it is a bit more challenging to get to, it’s still a hot spot on the Laos backpacker trail particularly with adventurous Europeans (mostly Germans)…and us…evidently.

Unfortunately, as we battled head colds, our bodies had other proposals for us, including a forced slowdown of an entire week. Although crammed together into a small hotel room, fortunately it wasn’t a horrible place to be thanks to a phenomenal mountain and Nam Ou riverview (above), some great food options, and in due time, recovery treats like massages and steam baths. And when we were finally able to get out and explore, it was even more breathtaking.

Honorable Mention: Tam Coc, Ninh Binh, Vietnam

The epic scenery resided mostly in these karst peaks in 2024 because our runner up fell in the same vein. When most people say they’re visiting Ninh Binh, they actually mean they’re heading to Tam Coc, a tourist town dropped adjacent to an emerald wonderland of rice paddies, towering jagged limestone peaks and endless life in streams and ponds. The UNESCO protected landscape is riddled with sacred pagodas, hidden caves and alluring landscapes featuring a nightly chorus of amphibious altos. And, with all this, and the ability to bicycle everywhere, to quickly escape any crowds, it easily became our favorite place in Vietnam in an instant. Read more.

Most Unforgettable Transit Experience

Mekong River Cruise, Huay Tai to Luang Prabang, Laos

An item on our 60 by 60 list has long been to take a slow boat down the Mekong, so naturally this was the year to do it. However, when we mentioned it to Greg’s parents back in April, they jumped at the chance to tag along on the condition that of course, we would take the two day/one night cruise down the river…their way. Wait. What?! We don’t have to snuggle up with 40 other backpackers and locals on a hard seat, with an icky toilet, and a ramen noodle lunch? Uh…yes please!

Their way involved booking with Shompoo Cruises, which we truly can’t recommend enough if you’ve got the cash, which was about $300/person including the food, hotel and “excursions”. Contrary to how it sounds, Shompoo does not mean hair washing, but “looking at the mountains” in the local language, which is a quite accurate assessment of the principle cruise activity. It left from the Thai/Laos border near Huay Tai and landed in the colonial gem of Luang Prabang about 30 hours later, with an overnight stop in the river town of Pak Beng. It also involved three stops: two at local villages, one known for whisky making, and one to a Buddhist cave famous to the Laotian people for pilgrimages.

Honorable Mention: Hitchhiking to Brunei from Miri, Malaysia

We hitchhiked in Brunei more than we have in six years of travel. And it was also the most amusing travel day we’ve had in quite a long time thanks to the friendly faces we met along the way.

One reason we came to Miri (Malaysia) was due to its 25-kilometer proximity to this tiny oil rich nation, which is among the least visited countries in the world, naturally whetting our passports for a stamp, or a chop, as the locals say. But first we had to get there….

What separated us from the border was seemingly easy…about 25 minutes by car on the Malaysia side and about 25k on the other side to the first town in Brunei called Kuala Balait. We have a rule that you have to at least eat a meal in a country for it to “count,” (not an airport) so we had to make it that far. Read more.

Best Off-the-Beaten Path Destination

Karimunjawa, Java, Indonesia

There are 17,000 islands in the nation of Indonesia and the majority of tourists set foot on just one of them. While we did visit the less crowded part of Bali, heading to the stunning archipelago of Karimunjawa, even during high season, was undoubtedly a decision well worth the hassle of getting there. And while it’s certainly not crowd-free, the vibe and pace is leisurely, laidback and immersive with the local people, and only a handful of foreign independent travelers. We chose to stay four nights on the only inhabited island out of 27, which for us felt like the right amount of time. We spent one day on a snorkeling tour, one exploring the island by motorbike, and the last, mostly just relaxing and exploring. We loved it. Read more.

Honorable Mention: Mai Chau, North Vietnam

We chose to go to Mai Chau in lieu of Sapa, because we’d heard directly from many travelers about how inundated with tourists, particularly the bussed-in variety, it has become. The enchanting Mai Chau Valley was a very good choice as an alternative because its rural emerald mountain landscapes, serenity and lack of crowds undoubtedly captured our hearts.

It’s located about 3 hours west of Hanoi, and is dotted with minority villages, most laden with skilled weavers and artisans of the “White Thai” people. It’s a pastoral place to just walk, bike or motorbike around its stilted houses and welcoming people, and we still feel like there’s a lot more to explore. That said, we’d come back here again for a rural escape any day. Read more.

Most Regrettable Departure

South of Amed Beach, Bali, Indonesia

For our week in Bali, we made a very good decision by heading to a tiny village about 9k south of Amed Beach, which is a chill up and coming spot known for snorkeling/diving in East Bali. In our village, we had a bright and cheery small ocean view apartment, a fully stocked kitchen with a blender (very important here), a terrific host, and off the beach snorkeling where we saw copious amounts of colorful fish and even a turtle.

Our apartment inadvertently happened to be owned by and adjoining the same place where Elizabeth Gilbert, of “Eat, Pray, Love” fame happened to stay so we knew we’d chosen a good one. It was very secluded, with just us and a couple other guests and had a restaurant attached as well. Life was simple and blissful here and we simply wish we’d made a longer reservation.

Honorable Mention: Phu Quoc, Vietnam

It’s not very often we take a beach “vacation” but we felt like our two weeks in Phú Quốc was exactly what we needed to feel relaxed, reinvigorated and a bit more routined for our next steps. The island of Phú Quốc is wedged between Vietnam and Cambodia in the Sea of Thailand, and is undoubtedly one that has gone through drastic changes over the last twenty years in both development and tourism levels. However, for the time being, it was still chill and quiet enough to make us fall in love, even more so than any Thai island we’ve experienced. Also, because of our extended visit, we were able to develop a home, begin cooking again, and make some connections which always makes us feel more grounded. We definitely wished to stay longer. Read more.

Best “Pinch Me” Moment

Swimming in Kuang Si Waterfall, Laos

We’ve seen a lot of striking waterfalls in our travels, but visiting the turquoise tumbling waters of Kuang Si by early morning light might just fit the definition of Shangri-La. It’s molded by seemingly endless limestone travertine pools gliding from one plunge pool to the next, has tucked away and swimmable lagoons accessible only to locals, and is encompassed by a ring of lush jungled landscape. We got to visit it with locals only because we stayed at Fasay Gardens, a local homestay with a sweet family who lets you take part in the free English classes they run, make meals, and participate in community activities. AND, you get to witness the gorgeous Kuang Si Waterfall in her early morning, crowd-free glory. Win, win, win!

Honorable Mention: Sunset at Bako National Park, Borneo, Malaysia

Although the highlight of Bako was undoubtedly the Muppet-like probiscus monkeys (see below), our two nights included so many other reasons that made it worth staying on site…including the most stunning sunset we’d seen in years on Mother Nature’s canvas . It also included a night walk with loads of creepy crawlers, an abundance of independent (brutally hot) hiking opportunities and an encounter with an asshole of an ape. Read more.

Best Airport Lounge

Coral First and Business Class Lounge, BKK, Bangkok, Thailand

This is a new category for us this year thanks to our game-changing credit card, the Capital One Venture X, which gives us complimentary access to all Priority Pass lounges around the world, as well as tons of additional free travel and perks. Over the course of the year, we used 21 lounges, all providing free airport food and wifi, and many providing other benefits like alcohol, showers, newspapers/magazines, and wifi. This lounge, however, exceeded all expectations with a signature cocktail menu, hoity toity canapés, 15-minute massages, and even napping rooms. If you are a US traveler and have not got this credit card, give yourself a gift in 2025. Although there is a steep annual fee of $395, you get all that money back in a $300 annual travel credit, 10,000 anniversary points, and two points for every dollar spent. All, in addition to the large sign-up bonus! We’re so happy with it!

Honorable Mention: Song Hong Premium Lounge & Bar, Hanoi, Vietnam

We’re learning it’s best to arrive to the airport four full hours early to take advantage of the lounges, so we had our full time in Hanoi. This lounge was very classy, had a killer buffet, a great staff, pour-it-yourself booze, signature cocktails and super comfortable chairs. We then used our lounge access again when we arrived in Singapore which means we didn’t pay for food that day. Yes, there are a few airports in the world you can use lounges on ARRIVAL and Singapore is one of them.

Best Outdoor Adventure

Uncle Tans Wildlife Adventures, Kinabatangan River, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia

We wouldn’t recommend going all the way to Borneo without slipping into something far less comfortable…aka the jungle…for a true experience. Our comfort zone destroyer of choice was through Uncle Tan Wildlife Adventures which took us up the Kinabatangan River and allowed us to stay at a rustic…very rustic…jungle camp for three days and two nights. Since 1990, nature and adventure lovers have been coming to this untouched plot of native land where wildlife is promised to be abundant and the land is lush, which it undoubtedly was. Read more.

Honorable Mention: Snorkeling Day with the Turtles, Gili Air, Lombok, Indonesia

Lombok’s Gili Islands are renowned for their fantastic scuba and snorkeling sites so we were eager to check out life under the sea. We first tried to snorkel off the beach on Gili Air, but this was quite un-fun due to shallow waters, coral underfoot and choppy seas on the days we rented our gear. Thus, we decided to join a day tour organized through H20 yoga for $8/each to be floated four stops further afield. Here we experienced hoards of tourists, often clumped together as one massive unit where you constantly got accidentally finned, as the guide tried to whisk the blob safely through the rapidly-moving currents using his voice to point out every single turtle along the way.

Needless to say, if you’re not a strong swimmer, wear a life jacket. Your provided flippers are a must. Also, you really need to pay attention, keeping your ears regularly above the water so you’re following the right group, and getting back on the right boat, or you might end up in China.

Despite a bit of mayhem, it was ultimately worth it. We encountered loads of tropical fish and more sea turtles than we’ve ever seen in our life (around 20). And fortunately, they remarkably didn’t seem to be the least bit affected by the human presence. In fact, our favorite moment was when a giant turtle glided straight at and then directly underneath us. We were practically face to face. Truly magnificent. So wish we could have captured those doe eyes to share with you. Ok. We may need to invest in a go pro one of these days…

Best Animal Encounter

Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, Yamanouchi, Japan

We’ll never forget the day when we first saw a photo of fuzzy little rosy-faced monkeys without tails basking in a pool of piping water. It was years ago in some travel magazine, or book, and quickly gained a well-deserved spot on both of our “60 by 60 Lists.” The Japanese macaque is known as the world’s northernmost non-human wild primate, and like us, they appreciate anything to make them toasty in frigid climates. And what is more remarkable, the Snow Monkey Park (Jigokudani Yaen Koen), open since 1964, offers you the chance to see them up close…really close…in their natural habitat. It was simply incredible and a true once-in-a-lifetime experience. Read more.

Honorable Mention: Proboscis Monkeys, Bako National Park, Borneo, Malaysia

A big draw in heading to Bako National Park was the chance to see a proboscis monkey, or what appears to be a real life muppet, in the wild. These fascinating large primates are found only on the island of Borneo and also, rarely seen in zoos worldwide which made it our first experience seeing one…ever. We got to see three up close and numerous at a distance. They are amusing to observe because their bulbous noses comically bob up and down as they eat and their large bodies are more awkward than smaller monkeys. We also saw orangutans in the wild this year, but unfortunately, never got super close. Read more.

Most Mouth Watering Meal

Tamarind Restaurant, Luang Prabang, Laos

Another slam dunk for Luang Prabang was its cuisine. On two occasions, because it was that good, we went to Tamarind Restaurant, which also has cooking classes, with Greg’s parents, which is clearly run by a true chef whipping up some dynamic menu items using local ingredients. Not only that, they offered some really unusual tasting platters so we got to try multiple options. Each time, the bill was about $40-50 for four of us, which included two carafes of delicious red wine, and enough food to feed the Laotian monk brigade. Mandy’s first meal is pictured: a salad trio featuring chopped fish and herbs, a papaya salad, and steamed local greens and veggies. ($5.24) It, as well as everything we had, was unbelievably delicious.

Honorable Mention: Rancha Khao Pad Restaurant, Pai, Thailand

In our four visits to Thailand, we’ve had a copious amount of extraordinary meals. It’s hard not to in this global culinary powerhouse. But, the tucked away Rancha Khao Pad Restaurant (and bungalows…of course), may be the best restaurant we’ve ever experienced in the country. Despite its very budget price, everything we had was superlatively seasoned, and created with precision and care. We loved it so much we visited twice, spending $4.50 on one visit and $6 on the second, for a salad and two entrees. Dishes photographed included: Papaya salad, Penang Chicken, Tom Yum Soup, and Pad See Ew. We really do not understand the point of spending more money for food when you can have such amazing quality for less.

Best Urban Wandering

Singapore 

The island nation of Singapore is a world class melting pot of cultures, religions and activity…a place where you can easily spend a whole lot of money, or very little. If you’re in the budget travel camp like us, the most satisfying activity will be to load up your Google Map and just wander as you connect the flags. And, although the Marina Bay, Gardens by the Bay and the Financial District were modern and interesting, the best part of Singapore for us was roaming through the lush city parks, checking out the fascinating history, and embracing the multiracial and multicultural Asian melting pot by exploring as many cultures within as we could. And there are SO many! For our first visit, we covered a lot of ground, but of course, only scratched the surface of all the things to do and see here. Read more.

Honorable Mention: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Although we’re only a week into our one month housesit as we write this, we are quickly understanding that Melbourne is a walker’s dream. The neighbourhoods are stitched together with alluring walking paths amongst nature reserves and wetlands, the CBD or Central Business District is loaded with imposing historical arcades and laneways, eclectic street art, and engrossing things to check out, and there are even several lush wilderness areas within the city. Not to mention, nearly everywhere you go is chock-a-block with exotic and new-to-us birdlife.

Best Beach

Cemara Island, Karimunjawa, Java, Indonesia 

To get out to Robinson Crusoe-esque Cemara Island, we took a snorkeling and island hopping adventure through the agency Dunia Bintang Tour and Travel. For a reasonable $15/each, we received a whole day trip with two phenomenal snorkeling stops, two island stops, a fish lunch, water and underwater photos. Cemara Island, which is thankfully still protected, was one of those hypnotising dreamlike places that you often seen in stock photography, complete with powder white beaches and fifty shades of blue waters. Read more.

Honorable Mention: Amed Beaches, Bali, Indonesia

While in Bali, we actually stayed south of Amed Beach about 9k, but we would regularly visit the beaches nearby. To be frank, these were not the most beautiful beaches we’ve ever seen, but what was under the water made up for it in droves… some of the most radiant off-the-beach marine life we’ve ever seen. This included platter-sized royal blue sea stars, sea turtles, pufferfish, parrotfish, clownfish, needle fish…just to name a few. There was also mind-blowing sites including a Japanese shipwreck, all snorkelable and all free. What a gift.

Best National Park

Mount Bromo National Park, Java, Indonesia

This surreal panorama could easily be on another planet. The incessantly belching Mount Bromo (the one in the back) is a stereotypical conical peak when you see it from a distance. Up close and personal, you can better observe its evolution over the millennia as part of an ever growing chain of volcanic eruptions to form new peaks within a massive crater. And we almost missed it.

After our not-so “off the beaten path” excursion to Tumpak Sewu waterfall, we seriously questioned if we wanted to do Mount Bromo at all, particularly with hoards of people at sunrise, which is the “thing” to do from Malang. We contemplated doing it independently and avoiding the sunrise part completely, but it was quite involved and would have cost us a bit of money due to changing accommodation plans. So, after a pep talk to prepare for the chaos and a mostly unsuccessful attempt to nap from 7 pm-11:30, we rolled into a Jeep at midnight for the 3-hour journey up a volcano. Was it worth it? Yep. Absolutely. Read more.

Honorable Mention: Taroko Gorge National Park, Taiwan

In late February, you could find us at an absolutely stunning 19 km aquamarine river-cut marble canyon called Taroko Gorge in eastern Taiwan. Though often referred to as the largest marble canyon in the world and nicknamed “The Marble Gorge” because of the large quantities of the stone in it, the rock is actually a unique combination of marble, granite and quartz micas, giving it a wide range of colors and textures. The park is truly a treasure chest of nature…ample hiking opportunities in pristine forests, dozens of swinging suspension bridges, shrines that look like they fell out of Shangri-La, plunging waterfalls, including one that drapes like a curtain inside a cave, cheeky monkeys, and numerous roadside eye candy to appreciate.

And while most people go on tour, or rent a car to do it, we of course…stumbled on a far more frugal way…good ‘ol public transportation. And we don’t meant the one day tourist shuttle bus pass… Read more.

Most Desirable Country Overall

Indonesia

Hitting our 60 day visa limit, this is a country we easily fell head over heels with for multiple reasons. And, because of its vastness and the fact we only visited 5 of 17,000 islands, we still have a few more to get to on our return. We enjoyed how we planned it as well with three weeks of quick travel and five of slow and would probably follow this model next visit again. One of these biggest reasons we loved Indonesia is the diversity of its terrain and cultures. This is why when discussing our upsides and downsides we chose to break them apart by each island we visited. They were all undeniably different.

Below is our personal list of stats, as well as upsides and downsides for the country.

Time Spent: 59 nights

Money Spent: $3141.41 or $53.24/day

Our itinerary: Surabaya (1) Jepara (1) Karimunjawa (4) Semarang (1) Yogyakarta (5) Solo (1) Malang (7) Sanur (3) Amed Area (7) Senggigi (19) Tetebatu (1) Sembalun (1) Gili Air (7)

Favorite Place: Amed, Bali

Least Favorite: Sembalun, Lombok

Favorite Experience(s): snorkeling off the beach in Amed, batik workshop in Jogja, motorbike trip on Lombok, and sunrise at Mount Bromo

Least Favorite: Tumpak Sewu waterfall itself and Prambanan Temple

Would we return? Without a doubt. To Amed in Bali. We will be choosing other islands for exploration next time with our top pick being Sumatra. We had planned to go this time but delayed it due to August burning season.

Upsides (Overall)

• the Indonesians are making an effort to reduce plastic waste
• green, green, green everywhere you go. We’ve never seen so many wild palms in our lives. Also, the islands we visited are not drastically affected by palm plantations like others
• stunning nature overall
• very hospitable and friendly people
• easy to find vegetarian options thanks to their use of tofu and tempe
• almost all accommodations provided drinking water
• coffee lover’s paradise
• so much sunshine (at least this time of year!)
• the entire country is quite easy on the wallet. We didn’t work too hard to achieve $50/day or less.

Downsides (Overall)

• not the most organized society with everything from their transit to their visa process
• the grocery selection was quite poor in many places, еven surprisingly the availability of fruit/veg markets
• seismically active; we felt many little tremors
• One of the biggest challenges we encountered overall was the local food. It was ok for a little while, but we didn’t find a lot of variety even from region to region, and ultimately most dishes just seemed quite oily and unhealthy to us. After trying multiple options, we fell into a routine of Gado Gado and Chicken Satay when eating out.

Upsides (Java)

• played 1960s music everywhere
• lightening fast internet
• decent walkability in cities, by Asian standards, which included adorable neighborhood enclaves tucked away from busy streets, which we loved
• in these enclaves there were always tons of cats
• the people on Java were overall the friendliest, especially the kids. We took so many photos with locals
• crossing guards many places to help you across the roads
• unique tourist sites
• terrific snorkeling (Karimunjawa)
• possibility to travel by bus or train
• staying at a five-star hotel for $29
• Not an obnoxious amount of tourists. Jogja was the most saturated.
• inexpensive taxi rides booked via Grab

Downsides (Java)

• a lot of smokers
• ridiculous opening times (very late)
• there are a plethora of mosques so the call to prayers can be overwhelming and prevent sleep
• small food portions
• the price and availability of alcohol was challenging
• unreasonable prices for temples like Borobudur and Prambanan
• the traffic is horrendous
• some difficulty finding decent apartments

Upsides (Bali)

• English is abundant
• the number of tourists makes travel logistics very easy
• easy and cheaper access to alcohol
• laidback and captivating Balinese Hindu culture
• the availability of accommodations at great value
• so many healthy and western food options
• easy to get away from the crowds
• great place to rent a motorbike
• snorkeling off the beach (north and east)

Downsides (Bali)

• unsurprisingly, there are simply too many tourists
• a lot of hawkers and tourists scams
• cost of taxis when Grab or Bluebird is unavailable was very steep
• the area near the airport feels showy and inauthentic, like Las Vegas
• a lot of street dogs which seemed out of control
• prices more inflated than anywhere else on food and accommodation

Upsides (Lombok)

• super easy to get off the beaten path
• ideal place for motorbiking
• our villa was amazing. So happy we stayed there! (see Most Outstanding Accommodation above)
• beautiful beaches and waterfalls
• a great blend of Islam and Hindu cultures
• Delicious strawberries. It had been awhile

Downsides (Lombok)

• the hawkers selling on the beach were quite pesky
• steep taxi prices if you don’t know to use Bluebird
• dog packs could be very intimidating
• non-existent public transportation
• disturbing amounts of beach rubbish

Upsides (Gili Air)

• it’s a hippie haven…the yoga, meditation and artisan workshops were plentiful
• water refill stations everywhere
• motorized vehicle free; you walk and bike everywhere on this small island
• a ring path takes you an hour or so around the whole island
• cats, cats, cats
• seeing more sea turtles than we’ve ever seen in one very reasonably priced snorkeling trip
• cheap and easy drinking; happy hours aplenty
• they have all the services a tourist needs
• fantastic restaurant quality due to stiff competition
• the public ferry from Lombok was very cheap ($1) and easy

Downsides (Gili Air)

• overrun with tourists and because of this, didn’t even feel like Indonesia; very little culture
• the off the beach snorkeling experiences we had were not the best
• the locals weren’t as friendly as other places…not that we blame them! It was also difficult to meet them
• more expensive meal options, although it was easy to find cheaper, local warungs
• more flies and mosquitoes than any other place we visited
• departing was challenging due to the oversight of the speedboat companies. Sort of felt like a free-for-all and hard to know who to trust.

Honorable Mention: Vietnam

With its warm hearts, incredible food, and stunning nature, Vietnam quickly won our hearts from the moment we landed in Phu Quoc until the time we left Hanoi.

However, it was an experiment because this is the first time we’ve ever stayed in a country for the maximum visa stay (90 days) without ever having been there. And while we absolutely loved it, and will undoubtedly come back, it was interesting to experience our evolution as the three months passed. Had you asked us after a month our opinion, we would have probably ranked it a top five country, but as with most good things, the rose-colored glasses came off and by the time we left, we were able to see things a lot more realistically.

Below is our personal list of stats, as well as upsides and downsides for the country. You can also head here for our video wrap.

Time Spent: 90 days

Money Spent: $4217.95 or $46.87/day

Places Visited: Phu Quoc (14 nights) HCMC (4) Cat Tien (2) Da Lat (7) Quy Nhon (2) Doc Let Beach (2) Quy Nhon (2) Hoi An (7) Da Nang (14) Hue (7) Tam Coc (4) Mai Chau (7) Hanoi (3) Ha Giang (3) Hanoi (12)

Favorite Place: Tam Coc (Ninh Binh)

Least Favorite: Ho Chi Minh City

Best Stay: Coco Villa, Hoi An

Favorite Experience: Biking through rice paddies in Tam Coc

Least Favorite: Mandy’s food poisoning in Mai Chau & Ha Giang without the loop

Would we return? We will, no question and probably for another three months. Priorities will be: Longer stays in Hanoi and Phu Quoc, return to Tam Coc and Ha Giang, new visits to Cat Ba, Con Son Island, Phong Na, Ba Bae Lake and Sapa.

Our Upsides

• Overall, it’s a quieter country. Despite their evening karaoke habits, they always shut off the noise by 10 pm. Also, the majority of the places we stayed offered “soundproof windows,”which is a rarity in the world of budget travel.
• The open-minded people seem very focused on moving forward and not back.
• Some of the friendliest and cutest kids
• They are an early morning culture, which we appreciate. This was more distinctive in the central and south than the north
• The coffee is sooo delicious and can be ordered in multiple ways
• the men who biked through the streets yelling “Banh Bao” in the south and central parts. He just made us laugh.
• a feeling of safety, no matter where you traveled, although we did have a couple crazy bus drivers
• Fast internet almost everywhere
• An abundance of yummy cashews. The prices fluctuated wildly, however
• An abundance of amazing fruit and vegetables
• This goes alongside diverse, healthy, fresh and flavorful food options…
• …including lots of vegetarian/vegan…
• …and international options in the cities
• We had great, fluffy pillows in almost the whole country. Beds were about 50/50. Some were Thai hard and others, perfect.
• Almost every accommodation included a hairdryer and a kettle
• Cheap scooter rental from $4-6 for the day
• Sleeper buses, when everything goes smoothly
• Bike friendly
• Easy to find plain yogurt
• Grab (taxi service) is everywhere and easy to use
• Juices and smoothies, especially Sinh to bo, (avocado)
• The low beer prices and selection, including craft breweries
• the endless coastline
• the locals are very forgiving when you can’t speak the language and are surprised and amused when you can throw out even a few mispronounced words.
• the Latin alphabet also helps us westerners
• The lack of mosquitos was shocking

Our Downsides

• In some places, they watch you like a hawk and follow you around in shops. It’s very unnerving so we always left
• Many, many Google translate fails
• In restaurants they have a habit of giving one menu and then wanting to hover over you until you decide
• Too much kitsch, the country is loaded with it
• the north has a lot more “tourist prices” than the south which we were not ok with
• Litter and pollution, especially the beaches and waterways
• You definitely can’t drink the water
• The transportation is mostly easy, until it’s not, which especially happens when you go off the tourist trail
• Crossing the street in major cities can be a nightmare
• Alongside this, no one obeys traffic laws. Are there traffic laws?!?
• The availability and selection of grocery stores is not too great
• Almost every place we stayed had an opaque glass entry door, which flooded the room with hallway light. This drove us nuts.
• Sidewalks doubling as scooter parking -Most cities are not walker friendly
• Pharmacies seem poor. We received bad or inadequate medicine on more than one occasion
• Roosters!! Everywhere!!
• Apartments are hard to find outside of major cities
• The treatment of animals is very disheartening